Time-control arrangement



1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 $3711 1 mom m L J STERN TIME CONTROL ARRANGEMENT Fild April 15.

Nov. 6 1923.

Ndv. s, 1923. 1,473,057

L. J. STERN TIME CONTROL ARRANGEMENT Filed April 15. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r'r/7//// ///fi A] 33 I L 30 i 23 l Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS J. STERN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .ASSIGNOB TO STERLING CLOCK (30., INC., A

CORPORATION .OF NEW YORK.

TIME-CONTROL ARRANGEMENT.

Application filed April 15, 1920. Serial No. 374,029.

tain new and useful Improvements in Time- Control Arrangements, ofv which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in 1 time control arrangements and while certain features of the invention are adaptedv for use in connection with the control or operation of .various devices at predetermined times, the invention is especially applicable to the automatic turning on and ofi' of lights such as for example the head and tail lights of an automobile. The main object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which -is simple and efiicient in 20 construction and operation and one which T is easily manipulated. Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detail description given below taken in connection with the accom- 2 .panying drawings. which form a part of this specification. Referring .to the drawings; Fig. 1 is a face view of a clock arrangement together with certain electrical devices and connections associated therewith, shown diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed section through the control device looking 1n the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1. 'Fig. 4

as a battery 8 being connected therewith by- 4 conductors 9 and 10. Any suitable arrangement may be used whereby the clock may be wound or operated electrically from the storage battery and, therefore, no particular arrangement for this purpose is shown. It is preferred, however, to use ,anarrangement like that disclosed in U. s -Letters Patent 1,164,602 granted Dec. 14, 1915. The clock is provided with the usual face 11 covis a. detailed section taken on the line 4.-4.

ered by a glassfront 12. The spindle 7 is 1 arranged to rotate once in one hour and carr 1es the minute hand 13. The spindle 7 also has secured thereto a gear 14 meshing with a gear 15 secured to a spindle which also has rigidly secured to it an intermediate gear 16 meshing with gear 18 secured to.a hub 20 adapted to rotate on the spindle 7 .and carrying the hour hand 21, whereby the hour hand 21 will be given 1/12 revolution while the minute hand 13 moves one revolution. Meshing withthe gear 16 is a large gear 22 having a hub which has a frictional fit on a spindle 23. The gear 22 has rigidly secured thereto by pins 24, a dial 25 having thereon numbers indicating twenty-four hours. That is, on one side appear the numbers 1 to-12 for P. M. hours and on the other side the numbers 1 to 12 for A. M. hours. he gearing is such that this dial 25 rotates oncev intwenty-four hours in the same direction that the hands; 13 and 21 rotate and the actual't-ime is indicated on the dial 25 by means of an index 46 printed or otherwise fixed on the face 11. Prefe'rabl the A. M. numerals from 1 to 12 and the M. numerals from 1 to 12 are differently colored inv order that they may be easily distinguished. It will be noted that the clock indicates the time as one oc'lock and likewise the dial 25 indicates the time as one oclock P. M.- When the time has advanced one hour and the'hands 13 and 21 indicate 2 oclockthe dial 25 will be rotated 1/24 of a. revolution so that the number 2 on the P. M. side will come opposite the arrow 46 and likewise indicate 2 o clock; and so on. Bigidly secured to the spindle 23 is an indicating hand 26 co-operating with the dial 25. Also rigidly secured to the spindle 23 is a cam switch 27, the body of 'which is composed of insulating material and which is ducting material 28. Resiliently pressed against the cam switch 27 by springs 29 are.

two contact arms 30, which are ivotally mounted on a pin 31 and suitably insulated therefrom from the frame work by suitable insulating bushin The "electrically condii cting contact arms 30 are suitably connected to conductors 32 and 33 respectively. Connected across the lights 34 and 35 may dependently closed to turn on the he storage battery 8 in parallel with the clock circuit 9, 10 and in series with one another are automobile tail and dash lights 34 and 35, a switch 36 being provided by which the be connected directly across the battery to e energized therefrom.

"Also connected across the battery and in parallel with the lights 34 and 35 and in parallel with the circuit 9, 10 are head lights 37, a switch 38 being provided whereby. they maybe connected directly across the battery. Connections and a switch 39 are provided whereby the dash and tail lights may be connected across the battery through the switch arms 30 and cam switch 27. Likewise connections and a switch 40 are provided wherebythe head lights 37 may be connected across the battery through the commutating arms 30 and cam switch 27.

Also rigidly secured on the spindle 23 is a gear 41 meshing with a gear 42 rigid on spindle 43 which extends out through the frontof the casing and is provided with a thumb head 44.

Assuming that the clockis running, it will be seen that as the hands 13 and 21 rotate. in the usual manner, when six hours have elapsed and it is seven oclock P. M. by the hands 13 and 21, the dial 25 will have rotated 6/24 of a revolution bringing the indicating number 7 P. M. thereon opposite the arrow 46 and at the same time rotating the cam 27 to a point just beyond that indicated in Fig.

4'where the arms 30 will drop off the insulating portion of the cam and fall upon the conducting portion 28 thereof and hence close the circuit through conductors 32 and 33. Assumingthe switches 36 and 38 are open and the switches 39 and 40 closed, both the dash and tail lights and the head lights will be energized from the storage, batter through the conductors 32 and '33 and this will be accomplished automatically by the time control arrangement. If it is only desired that the head lights be thus automatlcally turned on the switch 39 will be left open while on the other hand if it is only desired that the dash and tail lights be thus turned on the switch 40 will be left open. In case it is desired to turn on the lightsat some other time'without changing the setting arrangement of the clock time control, the switch 36 may be closed to turn on the dash and tail lights and the switch 38 ma be in- These switches may also be used to turn on these 1i hts in case of trouble withthe auto matic time control 'swltch arrangement in the clock. In case it is desired to set the 1 V and 41- and spindle 23 and with it t e indicatinghand 26 until the hand 26 indicates the hour either A. M. or P. M. that'it lights.

desired that the lights be turned on. It will be seen that at whatever hour the indicating pointer 26 is set on the dial 25, at such hour the lights will be turn'edon by the closing of the circuit through conductors 32 and 33 since when the hand 26 is thus turned the cam switch 27 is turnedtherewith a corresponding number of hours. In the particular arrangement shown the cam switch 27 is arranged so that at the end of about ten hours, the commutating members 30 will ride off of the conducting cam face 28 and drop on to the insulating portion of the cam 27 so as to open the circuit through the conductors 32 and 33and thus put out not only the hour but whether the time is A. M. or P. M. If only twelve hours were indicated on the dial 25 and it rotated once in every-twelve hours, then if the hand were turned to any particular hour it would not be clear whether the lights would be turned on at that hour A. M. or P. M. While I have described this time control device in combination with a new switching arrangement for the lights, it will be understood that under certain aspects of the invention the time control device may be used for the putting into operation any other means or mechanism such as the operation of an alarm or other time operated means for any purpose whatsoever: Likewise 'manyother changes and modifications may be made and the improvements embodied in wldely different forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof in their broader aspects.

What I claim as new and desire to secure 3. by.Letters Patent is;

1. A time control arrangement having in combination wlth a clock movement, an mthe time when said light is supplied-from said source without disturbing the relationship of the dial with respect to the clock movement. a

2. A time control arrangement having in combination a clock, movement, a source of electricv energy supplying energy to drive said clock. movement, an indicating dial driven b the clock movement so as to rotate once in 4 hours, an electric switch member rotated in timed relation with the dial, an

electric light, means whereby the switch member causes the light to be supplied from said source, and means for setting theswitch member with respect to said dial change said switch member causes the light to be supplied from said source at predetermined intervals, a switch for preventing said switch member from causing the light to be supplied from said source and a switch for causing the light to be supplied from said source independent ofsaid switch member.

4. A time control arrangement having in combination a clock movement, a source of electric energy supplying energy to drive said clock movement, an electric switch member operated by the clock movement, an electric light, circuit connections whereby said switch member causes the light to be supplied from said source at predetermined intervals, a switch for preventing said switch member from causing the light to be supplied from said'source and a switch for causing the light to be supplied from said source independent of said switch member, and means for setting the switch with respect to .the clock movement to change the time when said light is supplied from said source. I

5. A time control arrangement having in combination, a clock movement, a storage battery, means whereby the-storage battery supplies energy to drive the clock movement, a dial driven by the clock movement to rotate once in 24 hours, an electric switch member operated in timed relation thereto, an electric light, circuit connections whereby said switch member causes the light to be energized from said storage battery at predetermined intervals, means for indicating on said dial the time when said switch member causes the light to be so energized, a switch for preventing said switch member from causing the light to be supplied from said battery and a switch for causing the light to be supplied from said battery independent of said switch member.

6. time control arrangement having in combination, a clock movement, a storage battery, means whereby the storage battery supplies energy to drive the clock movement, an electric switch member driven by the clock movement, an electric light, circuit connections whereby said switchmember causes the light to be energized from said storage battery at predetermined intervals,

means for indicating when said switch member will cause the light to be energized from said batte y, a switch for preventing said switch member from causing the light to be supplied from said battery and a switch for causing'the light to be supplied from said battery independent of said switch member. I

7. An automobile light control arrange- .ment having in combination automobile tail light and head lights; a clock movement, a storage battery, connections whereby said tail light, head lights and clock movement are energized in parallel from said battery, a switch member driven by the clock movement for causing the battery to energize said lights at predetermined intervals, a switch for causing the taillight to be energized from the battery independent of said switch member and without causing the head lights to be energized, a switch for causing the head lights to be energized from the battery independent of said switch member and without causing the tail light to be energized, and switch means for preventing said switch member from causing the lights to be energized from the battery.

8. An automobile light control arrangement having in combination automobile tail light and head lights, a clock movement, a storage battery, connections whereby said tail light,-head lights and clock movement are energized in parallel from said battery,

a switch member driven by the clock movement for causing the battery to energize said lights at predetermined intervals, and means for indicating when the switch member will cause said lights to. be energized from the battery.

9. A. time control arrangement having in combination with a clock movement, a time control indicator driven thereby to rotate once in 24 hours, a switch member frictionally connectedtherewith so as to be frictionally rotated by the indicator, a source of electric energy, an electric light, means whereby the switch member causes the light to beenergized from said source, and means for setting the switch member with respect to said indicator to change the time when the light is energized from said source.

I 10. A time control arrangement having in combination with a clock movement an indieating dial driven thereby, an electric switch member rotated by the clock movement in 'timed relation with said. dial, a source of electric energy, a light, means whereby the switch. member causes the light to be supplied from said source, an/indicator rigid with the switch member" and cooperating with said dial, and means for setting the switch member and indicator with respect to said dial to change the time when said light is supplied from said source.

11. A time controlarrangement having in combination with a clock movement, an indicating dial driven thereby so as to rotate once in 24 hours, an electric switch member rotated by the clock movement in timed relation with said dial, and so as to rotate once in 24 hours, a source of electric energy, a light, means whereby the switch member causes the light to be supplied from said source, an indicator rigid with the switch member and cooperating with said dial, and means for setting the switch member and indicator with respect to said dial to change the time when said light is supplied from said source.

12. A time control arrangement having in combination with a clockmovement, a time control indicator driven thereby, a switch member frictionally connected therewith so as to be frictionally rotated by the indicator, a source of electric ener an electric light, means whereby the switc li member causes the light to be energized from said source, and means 'for setting the switch member with respect to said indicator to change the time when the light is energized from said source.

13. A time control arrangement having in combination with a clock movement, a time control indicator driven thereby, a switch member frictionally connected therewith so as to be frictionallyrotated by the indicator, a source of electric energy,

means whereby the swim member causes the an electric light,

light to be energized from said'source, and means, for setting the switch member with respect to said indicator to change the time when the light is energized from said source, said means comprising a thumb piece for rotating the switch member without moving the indicator.

14. A time control arrangementhavin'g in combination with a clock movement, an indi cating dial driven thereby so as to rotate once in 24 hours, an electric switch member rotated by the clock'movement in timed relation with said dial, and so as to rotate once in 24 hours, a source of electric energy,

a light, means whereby the switch membercauses the light to be supplied from said source, an indicator rigid with the switchmember and cooperating with said dial, and means for setting the switch member and indicator with respect to said dial to change the time when said light is sup-plied from said source, said means comprising a thumb piece for rotating the switch member without moving the indicator.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New day of April, A. D. 1920.

Lewis J. STERN.

York, this 14th 

